THE latest development in the police investigation into the SNP’s finances has completely overshadowed what was supposed to have been a keynote speech from Humza Yousaf.

The First Minister addressed Holyrood to set out his key priorities in government for the coming months.

The arrest of party treasurer Colin Beattie means that the contents of his speech will be lost in the barrage of media and opposition party criticism.

Beattie, who was released without charge last night, is a sitting MSP, representing Midlothian North and Musselburgh for the SNP since 2011.

He was the SNP national treasurer from 2004 to 2020 until he was defeated in the 2020 SNP internal elections by Douglas Chapman, who took over the post of party treasurer before resigning in May 2021, claiming that he “had not received the support or financial information required to carry out the fiduciary duties of national treasurer”. Beattie then returned to the post.

READ MORE: Colin Beattie released without charge pending further investigation

Like any arrested person, an arrested MSP enjoys a presumption of innocence. An arrested person may not even have been charged with any offence, far less convicted. However, even if a sitting MSP is charged with an offence and later convicted of that offence in a court of law, they do not necessarily lose their seat.

In 2013, MSP Bill Walker was convicted of 23 counts of assault against his former wives and step-daughter and one of breach of the peace. He was expelled from the SNP but initially refused to resign as an MSP, vowing to continue as an Independent, but stood down two weeks after his conviction, shortly before being sentenced to 12 months in prison for the offences.

The controversy created by Walker’s initial decision to remain in Parliament despite his criminal conviction led to Holyrood adopting new rules about MSPs who are convicted of offences. MSPs are automatically removed from their seat if sentenced to a custodial sentence of a year or more. Those imprisoned for less than 12 months will have their pay cut by 90%. MSPs who are convicted of an offence which does not lead to a custodial sentence of more than 12 months cannot be recalled by their constituents and a by-election forced.

In the aforementioned overshadowed speech, the First Minister set out measures to assist in the transition to a net-zero economy and stressed that while his government intends to make full use of the powers afforded to the Scottish Government by devolution, it will continue to make the case that as an independent nation, Scotland’s parliament could do much, much more to make Scotland a fairer, greener, wealthier country.

In other developments, the Scottish TUC has called upon all Scottish politicians to “fight tooth and nail” against the Conservatives’ Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill which is currently making its way through the Westminster Parliament.

If passed, the bill will compel trade union members to continue to provide a minimum level of service during a strike, or potentially lose their jobs if they do not comply. It is estimated that as many as 600,000 Scottish workers could be affected by the new legislation. Trade unions say that the legislation represents a real threat to the right to strike.

The bill represents the Tory response to the recent rash of strikes and industrial action. Rather than addressing the underlying concerns which have led nurses, junior doctors and other workers to take industrial action, the Tories have predictably chosen to crack down even further on the rights of workers to organise and take action in defence of their wages and working conditions.